Improving Educational Impact through Family EngagementPositive impact through engagement stems from partnerships between schools, parents and communities that are based on mutual benefit,

Improving Educational Impact through Family

Engagement

A Review and Planning Guide

INTERCULTURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATIONMaría “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Mission: Creating schools that work for all children.

Vision: IDRA is a vanguard leadership development and research team working withpeople to create self-renewing schools that value and empower all children,families and communities.

Functions:

POLICY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – IDRA policy and leadership development pro-motes accountability and responsibility. Using inclusive, cutting-edge and broad-basedstrategies, we develop leadership within communities, schools and policy-making bodiesto create collaborative and enlightened educational policies that work for all children.

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION – IDRA research and evaluation advance educational policies,programs and practices. Using collaborative and innovative methods, we investigate im-portant questions and provide insights into compelling educational issues. As a nationalresource, we set standards in the design, analysis, and synthesis of timely and usefulresearch involving diverse populations.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – IDRA professional development causes people across thecountry to take action that empowers others. We assist people to create educational solu-tions through innovative, participatory, and hands-on presentations, workshops, and tech-nical assistance that promotes sustained growth and development.

Our assistance values the needs and cultures of our participants and acknowledges theirexperiences. We carefully craft training designs that include reflection and application.IDRA professional development causes participants to take a new look at persistent prob-lems and equips them to take action that produces positive outcomes for all children.

PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT – IDRA programs and materials cause peopleacross the country to improve education for all children. Our programs produce results.Our materials are useful and timely; attractive, cost-effective and intuitive; linguistically,culturally and developmentally appropriate.

IDRA pro-actively disseminates cutting-edge information to educators, administrators,decision- and policy-makers, parents and community leaders.

ImprovingEducational

Impactthrough FamilyEngagement


ImprovingEducational

Impactthrough FamilyEngagement


Improving Educational Impact through Family Engagement – A Review and Planning Guideby Rosana G. Rodríguez, Ph.D., Abelardo Villarreal, Ph.D., Aurelio M. Montemayor, M.Ed., and Josie DaniniCortez, M.A.

Cover graphic designed by artist Joel Nakamura for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Used with permission from theW.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Copyright © 2002 by the Intercultural Development Research Association

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic or mechani-cal, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may beexpressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or by the publisher. Requests for such permission will be mostgenerously handled by:

Intercultural Development Research Association5835 Callaghan Road, Suite 350San Antonio, Texas 78228-1190Ph. 210-444-1710Fax 210-444-1714E-mail: [email protected]

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Distributed by the Intercultural Development Research Association.Manufactured in the United States.

Funded in part by a grant by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarilyreflect the position or policy of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and no official endorsement by the Foundationshould be inferred.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1First Edition

IDRA is an independent, non-profit organization, directed by María Robledo Montecel, Ph.D., dedicated tocreating schools that work for all children. As a vanguard leadership development and research team for threedecades, IDRA has worked with people to create self-renewing schools that value and empower all children,families and communities. IDRA conducts research and development activities, creates, implements andadministers innovative education programs and provides teacher, administrator, and parent training and technicalassistance.

Intercultural Development Research Association 1

The Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) is pleased to share thesetools to help families and school personnel assess the degree of accessibility andreadiness for parent and community engagement on the part of educational systems.These are indicators of pathways that exist or need to be created in order to begin adialogue toward shared accountability and greater impact for student success.

Positive impact through engagement stems from partnerships between schools,parents and communities that are based on mutual benefit, respect and accountability.Engagement for impact goes beyond temporary or limited outreach on the part ofeducational institutions. While the process is challenging, an approach that embracesengagement can yield significant results in learning for all spheres.

To foster lasting and meaningful educational impact, mechanisms for engagement withparents and families need to be firmly embedded in the mission, vision and centralactivities of educational institutions from pre-school through higher education. A cultureof engagement needs to be fostered that ultimately has a lasting impact on studentaccess, success and graduation for all students. Although difficult to achieve, byforming lasting partnerships and engaging with parents, schools and universities canmake an important investment in the future of their young people and have lastingpositive impact on their communities.

Foreword

María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.Executive Director

Intercultural Development Research Association


Designing and ImplementingDesigning and ImplementingDesigning and ImplementingDesigning and ImplementingDesigning and ImplementingMeaningful Family EngagementMeaningful Family EngagementMeaningful Family EngagementMeaningful Family EngagementMeaningful Family Engagement

StrategiesStrategiesStrategiesStrategiesStrategies

Engagement is a reciprocal relationship in which institutions and communitiesform lasting relationships that influence, shape, and promote success in bothspheres (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2002).

This guide uses a three-step approach to help assess and foster meaningful familyengagement in the learning process from preschool through college.

Schools that are committed to engagement and are genuinely using the partnership approachdo three things before embarking into the process of developing a plan.

I. Schools identify the degree to which barriers to familyinvolvement exist and impact the creation of the school-familypartnership. Educators and parents can use the “Family-SchoolBarriers and Solutions” tool for this assessment. Page 3

II. Once this information is collected and analyzed, schoolsadopt a set of guiding principles that can be used in selectingeffective family involvement strategies. Those guiding principles arebased on the elements of a successful partnership. Page 10

III. Schools integrate into their operational plans the rolethat community and family involvement will play in complementing theschools’ efforts to improve student achievement. Page 13

Analysis and Planning WorksheetsUse “Family-School Barriers and Solutions, Step I – Review” to identify barriers to effectiveengagement with families. School staff and families should use this tool independently and com-pare answers. This is a good activity for beginning a dialogue for engagement.

Use “Step II – Adopt Guiding Principles” to collaboratively plan with faculty, administrators andfamilies to determine what action steps might be taken to realize the vision.

Remember, the goal of effective engagement is student success.

Educators and parents can use this tool for assessing whether certain barriers exist. Possiblesolutions for counteracting the impact of these barriers in creating a partnership are also pro-vided as guides for planning in your setting.


Family-School Barriers and SolutionsStep I – Review

Family-School Barriers and SolutionsStep I – Review

Step I – Review

Directions: For each item, read across from Vision (4) to Barriers (1) and check the oval thatmost accurately describes your assessment of the degree to which this is present in your setting.

1. Parentsalways feelvalued atyour school.

Parents never feelvalued at yourschool.

2. Parentsalways havegoodexperienceswith yourschool.

Parents neverhave goodexperiences withyour school.

3. Parentsbelieve thatyour schooltreats allfamiliesequally.

Parents neverbelieve that yourschool treats allfamilies equally.

Parentssometimes feelvalued at yourschool.

Parents rarely feelvalued at yourschool.

4 123 88

Parentssometimes havegood experienceswith your school.

Parents rarelyhave goodexperiences withyour school.

Parentssometimesbelieve that yourschool treats allfamilies equally.

Parents rarelybelieve that yourschool treats allfamilies equally.

4 123 88

4 123 88

Vision Barriers

Don’tKnow

Don’tKnow

Don’tKnow


6. Teachersalways knowhow to workwith andvaluefamilies.

Teacherssometimes knowhow to work withand valuefamilies.

Teachers rarelyknow how to workwith and valuefamilies.

Teachers neverknow how to workwith and valuefamilies.

Vision Barriers

Don’tKnow

4 123 88

4. The schoolalways valuesandcelebratesparents’cultural andlanguagedifferences.

The schoolsometimes valuesand celebratesparents’ culturaland languagedifferences.

The school rarelyvalues andcelebratesparents’ culturaland languagedifferences.

The school nevervalues andcelebratesparents’ culturaland languagedifferences.

5. The schoolalways takescare oflogistics, suchastransportation,child care,andscheduling.

The schoolsometimes takescare of logistics,such astransportation,child care, andscheduling.

The school rarelytakes care oflogistics, such astransportation,child care, andscheduling.

The school nevertakes care oflogistics, such astransportation,child care, andscheduling.

4 123 88

4 123 88

Don’tKnow

Don’tKnow


7. There isalways clarityover the rolesof schoolpersonneland families.

There issometimes clarityover the roles ofschool personneland families.

There is rarelyclarity over theroles of schoolpersonnel andfamilies.

There is neverclarity over theroles of schoolpersonnel andfamilies.

8. Schooleducatorsalwayswelcomeparents intoyour school.

School educatorssometimeswelcome parentsinto your school.

School educatorsrarely welcomeparents into yourschool.

School educatorsnever welcomeparents into yourschool.

9. Your schoolalways takesintoconsiderationthe variedwork and timecommitmentsof families.

Your schoolsometimes takesinto considerationthe varied workand timecommitments offamilies.

Your school rarelytakes intoconsideration thevaried work andtime commitmentsof families.

Your school nevertakes intoconsideration withthe varied workand timecommitments offamilies.

Vision Barriers

Don’tKnow

4 123 88

Don’tKnow

4 123 88

Don’tKnow

4 123 88


Analysis and PlanningAnalysis and Planning

In one-on-one interactions,small group settings, meet-ings and workshops use ev-ery opportunity to have par-ents validate themselves fortheir positive qualities as par-ents. Ask open-ended ques-tions about their children andthe quality of education theirchildren receive and listennon-judgementally to their an-swers.

Validate parent’s experiencesin life, in rearing a family,working and the generalschool-of-life. Highlight suc-cesses and encourage themto identify and talk about theiraccomplishments as parents,as workers, a stewards of lim-ited funds that are stretchedto meet family needs, etc.Distinguish in positive waysbetween positive humanworth inherent in every indi-vidual and the value of a for-mal education.

Listen to parents and encour-age their advocacy of all chil-dren. Handle problems asthey arise. Encourage input,participation and ensure thatall families and children havetheir fair share of school re-sources and attention.

Barriers Some Ideas forRealizing Vision

How is your schooladdressing this

issue?

What will be donein the future?

Directions: Analyze your findings. In collaboration with other faculty, administrators and par-ents, consider some of the ideas for realizing this vision in the future.

1. Parentsnever feelvalued atyour school.

2. Parentsnever havegood experi-ences withyour school.

3. Parentsnever believethat yourschool treatsall familiesequally.




issue?


4. The schoolnever valuesandcelebratesparents’cultural andlanguagedifferences.

5. The schoolnever takescare of treatslogistics suchas transpor-tation, childcare, orscheduling.

Conduct meetings bilin-gually focusing on the larg-est language groupspresent. Make cultural shar-ing and interactions movebeyond surface topics likefood and stereotypic “folksy”traditions. Have parents ex-change ideas and makepositive comparisons oftheir family values and tra-ditions. Notice and reduceclass distinctions while en-couraging collaborationsand working togetheracross race, ethnicity andsocio-economic groupings.Encourage and support par-ent leadership from groups,neighborhoods and lan-guage groups previouslyunder-represented in deci-sion-making positions.

Schedule school programsfor parents during non-workhours and at multiple timesto accommodate a varietyof work schedules. Providechild care and transporta-tion for families to attendschool functions. Engageother parents to help withscheduling and transporta-tion.



issue?



6. Teachersnever knowhow to workwith andvalue fami-lies.

7. There isnever clarityover the rolesof schoolpersonneland families.

8. Schooleducatorsnever wel-come par-ents into yourschool.

Provide mandatory profes-sional development for teach-ers on how to work effectivelywith families. Engage profes-sionals to work with educatorsthroughout the year in devel-oping skills of interaction andoutreach. Create linkages withuniversities, local community-based organizations and otherparents to identify resourcesfor this purpose. Positively re-inforce and reward teacherswho have mastered this skilland enlist their help inmentoring other teachers.

Clarify roles in joint meetingsand sessions: encourage par-ent participation as resourcesbeyond fundraising, in deci-sion-making positions and asleaders and trainers of otherparents.

As part of a year-long strate-gic plan, create a schedule foroutreach, visitation, parent-ledactivities and school pro-grams. Make the scheduleavailable early in the year withmultiple contacts each month.Strive for ongoing, consistentand regularly scheduled timesfor parents, making sure thesetimes allow for testing, curricu-lum assessment and othermandated school time lines.Encourage parents to engageschool personnel in document-ing the benefits and rewardsto children’s achievement andto improve campus attainmentof goals and plans throughdynamic parent participation.



issue?



For each child, at any level, cre-ate a plan for support that in-cludes a variety of strategiesfor success. Recognize thatfamily work schedules and cir-cumstances are subject to fre-quent change. Help parentsfeel welcome to discuss thesechanges with teachers so thatcontinued support can be pro-vided. Arrange for short-terminterventions from the homeas well as long-term meetingsor committees in order to al-low flexibility for parents to par-ticipate as their schedules al-low. For upper grade students,be specific about how parentscan help with planning for stu-dent graduation and highereducation. Engage diversifiedpersonnel with flexible sched-ules to bridge the schedulingissues between home andschool. Support staff flexibilityin peer support so that moreeducators are available tomeet with families outside ofthe regular school day.

9. Your schoolnever takesinto consider-ation the var-ied work andtime commit-ments of fami-lies.


Step II – Adopt Guiding PrinciplesStep II – Adopt Guiding Principles

Once this information is collected and analyzed, effective schools adopt a set of guiding prin-ciples for improving educational impact through family engagement that can be used in selectingeffective family involvement strategies. Those guiding principles are based on elements of suc-cessful partnerships. The following is a set of guiding principles that have emerged from theliterature that can be adopted for the local context.

1. Basic Assumptions: Valuing and asset acknowledgment♦ No fault, no deficit♦ Parents and teachers have unique contributions that support children’s learning.♦ Parent involvement enhances, deepens and accelerates children’s learning.

Learning is enhanced through mutual trust and respect.Effective partnerships in learning are built upon a valuing model (no-fault, no-defi-cit).

2. Roles: Parents are their children’s first teachers, rich resources for the school, capabledecisionmakers in school issues, and potential leaders and trainers of other parents in alltheir roles.♦ Parents and teachers each have unique contributions to enhance the learning

process.♦ Diverse needs, perspectives, and expertise strengthen the context for learning to

take place.♦ Children’s learning and development are enhanced by parent and family involvement.

3. Process: Active participation – a process where parents and educators meet as equalsbut with differentiated roles. Listening and speaking is balanced for all participants.♦ Information and mutual respect help break down cultural barriers and strengthen

learning.♦ Communication is facilitated when it is two-way, ongoing, clear of jargon and reflec-

tive of the native language of the family.♦ Strong home-school partnerships and effective collaboration draw and build upon

the strengths of parents.


4. Support Services: Logistics, transportation and support services are available so that allfamilies regardless of resources can participate in school events.♦ Transportation and child care facilitates interaction with families.♦ Responsive schools are flexible in order to accommodate a variety of parental and

caregiver schedules.

5. Cultural Congruence: All events celebrate and honor cultural diversity and draw on thestrengths of all families and educators.♦ Parents are valuable resources who can assume important leadership roles in edu-

cation.

6. Leadership: Events planned by parents, for parents and in part conducted by parents arethe norm.♦ Learning strategies that are fun, inexpensive, and feasible encourage parent interac-

tion.


What guiding principles willyour school adopt?

What guiding principles willyour school adopt?

From the set of principles provided or from others, identify principles that are most relevantfor your setting.

Our school will adopt the following principles for family andparent engagement:


Step III – Integrate Communityand Family Into Your School

Step III – Integrate Communityand Family Into Your School

Schools and campuses can integrate into their operational plans the important role that com-munity and family involvement will play in complementing the schools’ efforts to improvestudent achievement. Mechanisms for engagement need to be firmly embedded in the mis-sion, vision and central activities of educational institutions. In this way, schools and universi-ties can make an important investment in the future of young people and have lasting positiveimpact upon their communities. Some characteristics of an effective plans to partner withcommunity and families, include the following dimensions for educational institutions andcommunities to work together collaboratively: (W.K. Kellogg Foundation – Engagement inYouth and Education Programming, 2001.)

♦ See their present and future well-being as inextricably linked.Community members are served and valued by the school. For example it conductstrade, supports local merchants, and employs neighbors.The community has a vehicle for sharing its priorities and concerns with the school.The community and the school work together to resolve problems for their mutualbenefit.Engagement is based on mutual interest and mutual gain. For example, eachactively supports the success of the other.

♦ Collaboratively plan and design mutually beneficial programs and outcomes.There are effective mechanisms in place to ensure partners reach a commonunderstanding of mutual needs and concerns and that they design mutuallybeneficial programs and outcomes to support mutual success.In partnerships between schools and community-based organizations, a sharedvision is created and reflected in each other’s annual goals and long-term plans.Representatives from the community and community-based organizations areincluded in planning funding requests that will benefit all parties.Partnership is viable with active collaboration and shared oversight providing for anactive exchange of ideas and plans.

♦ Engage in reciprocal learning.The school applies its resources to problems that matter to the community.School faculty work in conjunction with students and residents to identify andaddress problems of mutual interest.The school and community discuss problems of mutual interest and responsibilitybefore entering into research or implementation agreements.Curricular and extracurricular activities are designed to involve faculty and studentsin community life and exchange knowledge and wisdom.


♦ Respect the history, culture, knowledge and wisdom of the other.The school incorporates the community’s wisdom into the curriculum.The school and community honor the knowledge, language and resources of theother.The school has a mechanism in place to make its policies and practices moreunderstandable to the community.Both the community and the school work to develop opportunities to gain mutualunderstanding and trust.

♦ Create structures that promote open communication and equity with one another.Mechanisms are in place to facilitate effective listening and learning between the schooland community regarding mutually relevant issues.Resources are committed to promote open communication for planning, implementingresearch and developing service programs.The school has designated places where the community feels welcome.Both school and community use a variety of methods to communicate with eachother effectively.

♦ Have high expectations for their performance and involvement with each other.The school and community acknowledge their responsibility and demonstrate theirwillingness to work with one another.The school and community have mutually agreed upon high standards ofperformance that are used to evaluate their work with each other.Partners are willing to move beyond limited self-interest to work toward mutuallybeneficial returns.A stated part of the school’s mission is the promotion of its community.

♦ Value and promote diversity.The school reflects the diversity of the community in its staffing, students andadvisory groups.The school employs policies and practices that value and promote diversity.School and community decision-making bodies and leadership reflect diversity.The community welcomes students and school faculty, and the school welcomesdiverse community residents.

♦ Regularly conduct a joint assessment of their partnership and report results.Engagement is built into the merit and reward systems for the school.The school is committed to use the data it collects as the basis of continued planning withcommunity.The school and community formally examine their progress in dealing with local issues,programs and activities.A regular report card of engagement is released publicly, measuring progress towardestablished benchmarks.

IDRA has developed a Community Engagement Review and Planning Guide for schools and colleges around theseeight characteristics. This can be accessed free from our web site at www.idra.org.


Improving Educational Impact through Family Engagement A Planning Guide

Feedback FormPlease copy or tear out this form, respond to the questions below, and send to IDRA by fax(210-444-1714) or by mail (IDRA, 5835 Callaghan Road, Suite 350, San Antonio, Texas 78228-1190). Or, visit the IDRA web site and complete this form online (http://www.idra.org/enlace/imreview.htm).

1. With whom of the following did you use theImproving Educational Impact throughFamily Engagement A Planning Guide?

Higher education faculty K-12 educators Parents School administrators Students, K-12 Students, higher education Other _____________________________

2. Number of participants __________

3. How much time did you spend using thesematerials? __________________________

4 Was the time allotted sufficient? Yes No

5. Does your school have family engagementobjectives that were not addressed in theguide?

Yes No

6. If yes, what are they?

7. Was the guide effective in identifyingelements of family engagement?

Yes No

8. Did the guide help facilitate discussion? Yes No

9. Did the guide help facilitate planning anddecision making? Yes No

10. What feedback was received fromparticipants?

11. What worked well?

12. What would you do differently?

13. Would you recommend this guide andprocess to others?

Yes No

14. Other comments:

Name of School or Organization:_______________________________________

Date: ________________

City, State: _____________________________

Contact person*:_________________________

Phone: ________________________________

E-mail: ________________________________

* For potential clarification purposes only,not for attribution.

VICE CHAIRPERSON

Mr. Tino Guerra, Jr.San Antonio, Texas

Dr. Ricardo FernandezBronx, New York

Mrs. Rosalinda GonzálezMission, Texas

Dr. Arturo MadridSan Antonio, Texas

Mr. Othón MedinaEl Paso, Texas

Mr. William AcostaDallas, Texas

Dr. Sally J. AndradeEl Paso, Texas

Dr. Max CastilloHouston, Texas

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Mr. Jesse TreviñoMcAllen, Texas

Mr. Jesse RangelLubbock, Texas

Mr. William Sinkin*San Antonio, Texas

Mr. Leo ZuñigaSan Antonio, Texas

SECRETARY

Ms. Debbie HaleyHouston, Texas

DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Dr. José A. Cárdenas

* FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS

IDRA is a non-profit research and development organization dedicated to theimprovement of educational opportunities for all children.

Documents

Improving Educational Impact through Family EngagementPositive impact through engagement stems from partnerships between schools, parents and communities that are based on mutual benefit,